An American Judge Suspends Sanctions Imposed on Albanese

SadaNews - A U.S. federal judge temporarily halted the enforcement of sanctions imposed on the United Nations special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, after concluding that the U.S. administration "likely violated her right to freedom of expression by imposing those measures following her criticism of Israel's war on Gaza."

In February 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing sanctions on senior officials and staff of the International Criminal Court in response to the issuance of arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

Last July, the United States imposed sanctions on Albanese, who documented Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in several reports and called for accountability for those involved. The sanctions targeting her were described as part of a broader U.S. strategy aimed at undermining international accountability mechanisms.

Albanese's husband and her daughter—who is a U.S. citizen—filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration last February, stating that the U.S. sanctions "effectively deprive her of banking transactions and make it almost impossible to meet her daily needs."

Federal Judge Richard Leon in Washington found that Albanese's residency outside the United States does not diminish the protection afforded to her by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and that the Trump administration sought to restrict her freedom of expression due to "the idea or message she expressed."

Albanese, an Italian lawyer, has issued several reports in her official capacity documenting Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza since October 2023.

Last week, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez awarded Albanese the Civil Merit Order in "recognition of her efforts to document and condemn Israeli violations of international law in Gaza."

Sánchez called on the European Commission to activate the "suspension mechanism" to lift the U.S. sanctions imposed on Albanese and protect the independence of judges and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court investigating the genocide in Gaza.

The "suspension mechanism" is a method that allows the European Union not to comply with the laws and decisions of other countries that affect its interests.

Despite the sanctions and pressures she faced, Albanese has not retreated from her positions and has continued to issue scathing reports on Israel's activities, including her latest report released this month, in which she accused over 60 global companies—among them well-known arms and technology firms—of supporting Israeli military operations in Gaza and settlements in the West Bank.